Rockets’ Dillon Brooks shines in Canada’s first Olympic win

The Canadian men’s basketball team hasn’t won an Olympic title since Sydney 2000. They haven’t even played in the tournament since then. Last summer in the Philippines, the team won a bronze medal and qualified for the tournament.

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks now has a chance to represent Canada at the Olympics after playing a role in the country earning a spot at the World Cup a year ago.

In the team’s first meeting of the tournament, Canada beat Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece 86-79, with the Rockets forward helping out. Brooks scored 14 points on 4-of-9 shooting, making three of his four three-point attempts. He added six rebounds, one assist and one steal in 24 minutes of play.

Brooks was solid in the tight win and was effective despite a few fouls that kept him out late in the game. He’ll need to continue to be a solid player at the three and four, providing solid two-way play if Canada is to make a strong run at the Olympics. They’re up against Australia and Spain in Group A, which proved to be a tough draw.

The Rockets forward is an elite defender and a scourge, as he proved by making life difficult for Antetokounmpo. Although he eventually fouled out, Brooks proved that when he’s able to play a lot of minutes, Canada can have one of the strongest defenses in the Olympics.

Brooks has made a name for himself by using his grit and shooting ability to annoy star players while providing solid defense and consistent floor spacing. Seeing the Rocket translate his NBA game to the global stage is a sight to behold for Houston fans, who will see Brooks return to a Rockets uniform next season.

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